Electric fan



Sept. 22, 1953 M, G, FETTEL 2,652,974

ELECTRIC FAN Filed May l5, 1950 fr INVENTOR. lwwf/Af a Ffa PatentedSept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC FAN Martin G.Fettel, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 162,070

6 claims. (ol. 23o-254) This invention relates to electric fans and moreparticularly to an improved fan of the type designed to continuouslyrotate on a fixed base to direct air currents radially through alldegrees of a circle.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensiveand sturdy fan construction of the foregoing character which shall beautomatically rotated about its supporting axis at predetermined speedsby reaction forces set up by the rotation of the fan blades.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a continuouslyrotating fan, means for controlling and varying the speed of rotation ofthe fan within predetermined limits.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a unitary fanconstruction, means whereby the reactive forces set up by the rotationof the fan blades may be utilized to control the speed of rotation ofthe fan thereby eliminating the necessity of using mechanical means forcontrolling rotatory speed.

These and other objects and advantageous features of the invention notat this time more particularly pointed out will become more apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein. like reference characters denote corresponding parts, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional View of a fan embodying the presentinvention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational View partly in section takenalong the line 2 2 of Fig ure .1, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustratn ing the fan disposedat an angle to a vertical plane through the supporting bracket therefor.

With reference to the accompanying drawing there is illustrated a fanconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present inventionincluding a hollow stationary base 0 which is preferably circular inplan view but may be square or irregularly shaped, if desired. The innerwall surface of the base I6 has secured thereto at spaced points aboutthe periphery thereof, angular members II to which a bottom closureplate I2 may be secured by means of bolts I3. Projecting upwardly fromthe central portion of the base I6 is a tubular supporting housing lilsuitably provided with anti-friction bearings l and I6 adjacent each endthereof. Journalled in the bearings I5 and I6 is a spindle Il :whichprojects downwardly below the housing Hi and is provided With a tubularinsulating collar I8. The outer surface of the collar I8 is providedwith spaced circular contact rings i3 and I9a having wiping, continuouscontact with contact members 23 and 2| of fittings 20a and 2Ia,respectively, which in turn are secured to the ends of lead in wires 22and 23. The fittings 26a and 2Ia are suitably supported by and insulatedfrom a bracket member 24 suspended from the inner wall of the base I0.

Mounted on the upper end of the spindle Il' for rotation therewith is asubstantially U-shaped bracket member 25. The point of securement of thebase portion of the bracket member 25 to the end of the spindle isolf-center so that a gyratory movement may be effected between thebracket and the axis of the spindle as the bracket is rotatedthereabout. The ends of the bracket 25 are suitably apertured to receiveoutwardly extending trunnions 26 and 2l carried on the housing of amotor 28. A fan 29 is suitably mounted on the outer end of the driveshaft of the motor 2B and a fan guard 30 surrounding the fan issupported on the housing of the motor 28. Current is conveyed to themotor 28 from the rings I9 through conductors 3|.

The fan 29, fan guard 30 and motor 28 are pivotly supported in bracket25 in such a manner that the center of gravity of the assembly isforward of the point of support. Therefore, the weight of these elementsis such that they are urged in a counterclockwise direction about theirpivotal support when viewed as in Figures 2 and 3. In opposition to thisdownward movement there is provided a clock spring 33, the convolutionsof which encircle the trunnion 2'I with the inner end of the springbeing anchored to the trunnion as at 3ft. The free end 35 of the spring33 is adapted to engage any one of a plurality of spaced lugs 36 formedin a clip secured to the side of the U-shaped bracket member 25. Placingthe end 35 of the spring 33 behind one of the lugs 36 puts the springunder tension which in turn applies torque to the trunnion 2l therebyrotating the motor assembly about its pivot point and positioning thefan at an angle to a vertical plane through the axis of the supportingspindle I l. The amount of torque applied and the resultant angulationof the fan may be varied by the selection of the particular lug 36 withwhich the spring portion 35 is caused to engage.

When the fan parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 and the fan isin a position substantially parallel to the axis of the spindle Il thefan may be used as a fixed direction fan as reactive forces developedare not suilicient to ef= fect rotation of the fan about its supportingaxis.

When the current is applied and the fan is in operation the backpressure created, acting through the bracket causes the motor, fan andall other rotating parts to revolve about the axis of the spindle l? inwhich case the centrifugal action or force acting upon the motor and ian assembly pivots the same downwardly against the pressure of thespring S3 to such an angular position that a uniform speed of rotationis obtained. The resultant angular position differs in accordance withthe particular lug 36 with which spring 33 is caused to engage andtherefore the speed of rotation of the fan differs with each position.However, in each case speed control is obtained by automaticallyadjusting the angular relationship between the plane in which the fanblades rotate and the plane through the center of the spindle, thisbeing accomplished by a readjustment of parts as the various forcespresent during operation establish a condition of equilibrium.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation ofmy fan will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, however, itis pointed out that it is merely necessary to turn on the current tostart the fan in which case all other action is automatic except when itis desired to change the rotative speed oi the ian which is accomplishedby manually adjusting the spring 33 to one of the designated positions.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to obtain by LettersPatent is defined in the appended claims:

I claim:

l. An electric fan comprising a base, a bracket member mounted for freerotational movement on said base, a plurality of spaced lugs projectingfrom one side of said bracket, a motor and a fan driven thereby mountedin said bracket, the axis of said motor and fan being oiset with respectto the axis of rotation of said bracket whereby upon actuation of saidfan reactive forces are created to effect rotation oi the bracket andthe fan carried thereby, said motor being pivotly mounted in saidsupporting bracket for movement about an axis traversing the axis ofrotation oi the bracket, and a clock spring encircling the pivotalmounting of the motor supporting bracket having the inner end thereofsecured thereto and the outer end free to engage one of said lugswhereby the rotational speed of the fan may be controlled through springtension applied to said pivotal mounting.

2. An electric ian comprising a base, a vertically disposed spindlemounted in said base, an ofiset bracket mounted on one end of saidspindle, a motor and ian driven thereby carrying trunnions journaled insaid bracket for pivotal movement whereby upon rotation of said fan thebracket carrying the same is caused to rotate about the axis of thespindle and the fan to pivct within the bracket toward a vertical plane,a clock spring encircling one of said trunnions having the inner endthereof secured to the trunnion and means on said bracket for receivingthe outer free end or said spring in one of a plurality of selectedpositions whereby the rotational speed of the fan may be controlledthrough spring tension applied to said trunnion.

3. An electric fan comprising a base, a vertically disposed spindlemounted in said base, a bracket mounted on the upper end of saidspindle, a ian and a motor for driving the same carrying trunnionsjournaled in said bracket so that the center of gravity of the fan andmotor assembly is forward of the point of pivotal support, the

axis of said motor and fan being offset with respect to the axis ofrotation of the spindle Whereby upon actuation of said fan reactiveforces are set up effecting the rotation of the bracket and ian carriedthereby, a clock spring encircling one of said trunnions having theinner end secured to the trunnion and means on said bracket for securingthe outer end oi the spring in one of a plurality of selected positionsto pivot the fan within the bracket into a plane disposed at an angle toa plane through the axis of the spindle against the reaction forces andthereby assure rotative movement of the bracket and ian carried thereby.

4. An electric fan comprising a base, a vertically disposed spindlemounted in said base, a motor and fan driven thereby carrying trunnionsjournaled in a bracket mounted on the upper end of said spindle, a clockspring encircling one of said trunnions having the inner end secured tothe trunnion, means for selectively securing the outer end of saidspring to the bracket at spaced points, said spring adapted to applyvariable spring pressure upon the pivot axis o said motor in oppositionto the downward rotation of the motor, the axis of said motor and fanbeing offset with respect to the axis of rotation of said spindlewhereby upon actuation of said motor and fan external forces are createdto actuate said spindle, said spindle adapted to rotate at variablepredetermined speeds in response to variations in pressure applied bysaid clock spring.

5. An electric ian comprising a base, a vertically disposed spindlemounted in said base and carrying an offset bracket on the upper endthereof, a fan and motor for driving the same carrying trunnionsjournaled in said bracket whereby upon actuation of said ian reactionforces are created to effect rotation of the spindle and the fan andmotor carried thereby, and means for varying the angulation of the ianwith respect to the axis of the spindle with a resultant variation inthe rotative speed of the spindle said means including a clock springencircling one of said trunnions and having the inner end secured to thetrunnion and spaced lugs on said bracket for receiving the free end osaid spring in one of a plurality of positions.

6. An electric fan comprising a base, a bracket member supported in anoff center position with respect to said base, a ian and motor fordriving the saine carrying trunnions journaled in said bracket memberwith the center of gravity thereof forward of the pivotal support aclock spring encircling one of said trunnions having the inner endsecured to said trunnion and means on said bracket for securing the freeend of said spring in one of a plurality of positions adapted to varythe angulation of the fan with respect to a transverse medial planethrough said bracket member and thereby control the rotative speed ofthe bracket and the fan carried thereby.

M'AR'I'IN G. FETTEL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 421,014 Polk Feb. 11, 1890 2,027,662 Young Jan. 14, 1936FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 520,760 Great Britain May 2, 1940

